Posted on 07/16/2004 11:39:21 AM PDT by The Bard
July 16, 2004 ***AMBER ALERT
Columbia Police have issued an Amber Alert after someone reported a man dragging a young girl into Flat Branch Creek near Providence Road. The suspect is described as a white male around 40 years old with dirty blond hair, facial hair stubble. He was wearing a dark T-shirt and blue jeans with the knees torn. The victim is described as white female, 35 to 40 pounds, 6 or 7 years old, about four feet tall, with dark brown hair pulled into a ponytail. She was wearing an oversize white t-shirt, dark shorts and no shoes. Anyone with information regarding the missing girl, please contact Columbia Police.
Someone reported a man dragging a child into a creek and did nothing else?
Where is the picture?
At this point that is all the informaiton I have. Our other Local news stations also has a story posted with little extra information (http://www.kmiz.com/news/default.asp?StoryID=678).
I just got in from lunch. I thought it was odd to see a helicopter hovering in that area, as it is not too far from the University Hospital. Normally helicopters fly through the area very fast.
Thanks.
What gets me is that there has been no University-wide email alert or anything. This happened three hours ago, and we only just heard of it when one of the ladies who works in our building came around to spread the news by word of mouth.
I'm sure that they could get a huge group of volunteers together to help search if they announced this!
So far I have not been impressed with how they are handling things. I'm office bound, but while I was at lunch I was listing to Rush Limbaugh. Granted I was only listening for about 15 minutes or so, but not once was the show inturrupted to announce this, nor during a commercial break. I don't have access to a Television, so perhaps they have something on the TV about this....
My other concern is if someone saw this person, why didn't they stop him???
Downtown is swarming with police...
--erik
http://www.showmenews.com/2004/Jul/20040716News006.asp
According to bluesagewoman (fellow FReeper and the coworker who told us about this), there's all sorts of tunnels and caves and little nooks and crannies that people can hide in in that area. That's why a lot of homeless people hang out down there. I'm not surprised that it was one of them that grabbed her.
More information now available:
http://showmenews.com/2004/Jul/20040716News006.asp
Still not a lot of info, but there to appear to be several resources looking into this now (fire dept, City and University police, UMC Hospital helicopter, etc)
I'm curious as to why the FBI is involved. I thought that they only got involved if there's an interstate component to the case.
possible kidnapping
Prayers going up on behalf of the child. Thanks for keeping us updated.
Father, protect this baby from harm. Let her be found very quickly!
God Bless and watch over her!
How odd. A co-worker and I were just thinking the same thing.
One of the local radio stations finally came up with a report. According to them, there have been no reports of any local missing children. There is some speculation that this may be a homeless child, or one abducted from another part of the state/country. According to the witness, it appears that the child may have known the abductor, but so far this is mostly speculation, so far....
It's strange. Someone else mentioned homeless people 'living' in that area. Could be the man's daughter?
Could be a hoax?
Time will tell, I suppose.
Local radio (The Eagle, 93.9) reported that the transient person appears to be known by several in the area, or at least one who fits the discription. Manager at the Local Hardees kneow that there is a transient who was living just behing the Hardees (real close to the Flat Branch area). No mention that anyone knew if this person had a child.
Also appears that police have a man who fits the discription currently in custody. They have been questioning them for roughly the last hour. He has not yet been "arrested". Police, FBI and other resources are continuing to comb the area, with the search expanded to include watching I-70 and Hwy 63.
Sounds more grave.
Thanks for the update.
prayers sent up!
See this thread for update
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1173022/posts
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